Training in Montana

6 cooollllddd miles in Stevensville, MT while staying at my sis-in-laws. I didn't even think to bring gloves, but I should've worn some. I was in a singlet and shorts, and it was in the mid to low 40s with a breeze. Arms felt pretty good, but hands were ice. About mile 1, I passed a group of ladies walking their dogs and they were in full winter gear - jackets, hats gloves - and I was in my singlet and shorts with no gloves. I'm sure they thought I was crazy, and I may have yanked the gloves off one of them if I had the chance.

AP: 8:40

4 miles this morning on another chilly morning (47F), which is the new norm. I'm fine with it. Didn't feel great on the run, likely tired from the drive home yesterday.

AP: 9:11

Showered at the Y this morning and weighed myself. Was fixing my wife’s car early when NAPA opened, so no run. Then went to lunch with my son instead of go for a run. It’s his last day in Billings, so I sacrificed. I’m a great dad...  I really wanted to go for a run instead, but we had a nice time. He’s a good kid and I worry about him. 

6 miles from home. Legs felt a bit sluggish on the out. Maybe the higher-than-normal mileage the past 10 days? Most likely, plus a couple travel days in there. Felt decent on the return, but harder than expected.

AP: 8:41

Considering doing a 5K on Saturday. I haven't done any 5K specific training, as I know I should do if I want to break 20:00, but I might give it a shot anyhow. We'll see how my Saturday shakes out.

4 miles from home. Felt decent, not great. Decided to do the 5K tomorrow as it’s a flat course. With 14 turns I’m not expecting a PR, but will give it a shot. Plan is to warm up by slowly running the course, then try and maintain a 6:24 pace to break 20:00.

AP: 8:41

I tried to break 20:00 in a 5K for the first time ever, but I didn't as I need more speed training. This is a tiny race, 170 registered, and with it being cross country season, no college or high school kids showed up. I led the race the first 2.3 miles - how weird is that? I was trying to maintain a 6:24 mile to break 20:00, but I wasn't even close: 6:32, 6:37, 7:21.

I ran the course to warm up, tried to go slow (but didn't turn on GPS during the warmup so maybe I went too fast?). I planned to only do part of it so I could know all the turns, but ended up running the entire thing. 15 turns, so a very weird thing through a neighborhood. Kind of cool, though. The race started and ended at a city park. It was a gun time, and I started at the very front. I expected to get passed like I do in all races, but it didn't happen until the last mile. 30 feet into the race I heard footsteps and a guy came to my left and said "you look like you know what you're doing" and I said a few words, but I was not running a conversational pace so I stopped talking and kept running. He slowed down fairly quickly and finished 4-5 minutes after me. There was a small hill about .5 miles, and that slowed me a bit, but for the most part I thought I was running a 6:29 the first mile. I guessed a few seconds under my actual pace. Second mile I was struggling to breathe - my throat felt constricted - so I tried breathing differently. Seems that slowed me a bit, but I thought I was doing close to a 6:30 mile. I need more speed work to get the feel. With .8 to go, I was still in the lead, felt rough, but I was trying to push it and I felt like I was starting to go in oxygen deprivation. I wasn't going to beat 20:00 so I gave up trying to hit that goal as I knew it was out of reach. I stopped and walked for 10 seconds or so, and a guy passed me. I started running again, close to a 7:00 mile. Turns out nobody else was even close behind me as I kept asking the course guards if anyone was back there. I took 2nd place, which didn't matter to me. I didn't get a prize as only top people got prizes.... I wasn't racing for a place, I was racing the clock. Onward and upward! If I can keep doing 25+ a week and add in some speed work, I have no doubt I can break 20:00 in the next few months.